Effect of internet use and electronic game-play on academic performance of Australian children

The study investigates how non-academic internet use and electronic game-play relate to academic performance in Australian adolescents and whether addiction tendencies to internet/game-play are associated with outcomes. In the context of widespread adoption of digital devices and high rates of internet use and gaming among youth, prior evidence is mixed, showing both potential benefits (e.g., skill development, self-expression) and harms (e.g., sleep reduction, behavioral and attention problems, poorer academic outcomes). The authors note key gaps: many prior studies used subjective grades rather than standardized tests, school-based samples limiting adjustment for sociodemographic confounders, and small sample sizes. Using nationally representative Young Minds Matter (YMM) data and standardized NAPLAN scores, the study aims to clarify associations, distinguishing weekday versus weekend use, with the hypothesis that timing and intensity of use differentially relate to academic performance and that addiction tendencies adversely affect outcomes.

The paper summarizes international and Australian data showing pervasive internet and gaming use among adolescents, with estimates such as one-third of under-18s globally using the internet and high daily gaming prevalence in developed countries. Prior research has reported both positive associations (e.g., improved reading skills, cognitive benefits such as decision-making and problem-solving) and negative outcomes (e.g., sleep disruption, behavioral issues, attention problems, and poorer academic performance). Screen-time guidelines commonly recommend limiting electronic media use to 2 hours per day for 5–17-year-olds. The authors also review methodological shortcomings in past studies: reliance on self-reported grades or subjective assessments rather than standardized tests like NAPLAN; school-based rather than population-based sampling limiting adjustment for confounding factors; and small sample sizes reducing reliability. These mixed findings and limitations motivate a population-based analysis using standardized academic outcomes and careful adjustment for covariates.

Design and data: Cross-sectional analysis using the Young Minds Matter (YMM) 2013–2014 Australian nationwide survey of children aged 4–17 years. Of 76,606 households approached, 6,310 parents/caregivers completed interviews; 2,967 youths aged 11–17 completed a self-reported questionnaire. After excluding NAPLAN 2008 (N=4) and 2009 (N=29) records and cases with missing data (assumed missing at random), 1,704 adolescents (11–17 years) were included. Ethical approvals were obtained; NAPLAN data (2010–2015) were linked with consent. Outcomes: Academic performance measured via standardized NAPLAN scores for reading, writing, and numeracy (continuous). A binary "national standard" outcome was created: "below standard" if ≥1 SD below the national standard in any of reading, writing, or numeracy; otherwise "at/above standard". Exposures: Self-reported average daily time (hours) for non-academic internet use and electronic game-play, separately for weekdays and weekends. Internet use categories: ≤2 h, 2–4 h, >4 h. Game-play categories: 0 h (none), 1–2 h, >2 h. Gaming included console, computer, online, and mobile gaming. Addiction tendency: Binary indicator combining five behaviors (e.g., avoiding sleep/food due to use; distress without access; continued use without interest; reduced time with family/schoolwork; unsuccessful attempts to reduce). If at least four of five behaviors were reported fairly often or very often, flagged as addiction tendency. Covariates: Age, sex, household income (low/medium/high), primary carer’s education (bachelor/diploma/year 10/11), family structure (original/step/blended/sole-parent/other), remoteness (major city/inner regional/outer regional/remote), primary carer’s mental health (K6 likely/not likely), smoking (yes/no), alcohol-related harm risk (risky/none). Statistical analysis: Descriptive statistics and examination of score distributions. Generalized linear regression models with survey weights. Continuous outcomes (reading, writing, numeracy) were standardized (mean 0, SD 1) and modeled with linear GLMs; the national standard binary outcome was modeled with logistic regression. Separate models were fitted for internet use and gaming, and for weekdays versus weekends. Three model specifications: Model 1 adjusted for basic sociodemographics; Model 2 additionally adjusted for remoteness and primary carer characteristics (mental health, smoking, alcohol risk); Model 3 further included the addiction tendency variable. Multicollinearity assessed via VIF (<5). Significance threshold p<0.05. Analyses conducted in R 3.6.1 using the survey package.

Sample characteristics: Of 1,704 adolescents, over 50% used the internet 2–4 h/day; about 70% used >2 h/day. Approximately 21% did not play any electronic games; about one-third (∼33%) played >2 h/day. Girls had higher addiction tendency than boys. Mean NAPLAN scores ranged 520–600; 308 adolescents were below the national standard. Weekday internet use: Greater weekday non-academic internet use was negatively associated with reading and numeracy. In Model 3, versus ≤2 h/day: 2–4 h had lower odds for numeracy (OR 0.896, 95% CI 0.805–0.997, p=0.044); >4 h had lower reading (OR 0.822, 0.709–0.953, p=0.010) and numeracy (OR 0.809, 0.699–0.936, p=0.004). Addiction tendency was negatively associated with reading (OR 0.833, 0.728–0.954, p=0.008) and numeracy (OR 0.864, 0.755–0.987, p=0.032). Interpreted probabilistically, adolescents with >4 h/day weekday internet were about 15–17% less likely to attain higher standardized reading and numeracy scores. Weekend internet use: Moderate weekend use (2–4 h/day) was positively associated with academic outcomes. In Model 3, versus ≤2 h/day: reading OR 1.171 (1.036–1.323, p=0.011), writing OR 1.204 (1.068–1.357, p=0.002), national standard OR 1.591 (1.123–2.253, p=0.009); numeracy not significant. >4 h/day on weekends showed no significant associations in Model 3. Addiction tendency trended negatively but was not statistically significant in weekend models. Weekday electronic gaming: Associations were generally null for writing and numeracy; reading showed a positive association for 1–2 h/day in Model 2 (OR 1.132, 1.000–1.282, p=0.050). Addiction tendency was negatively associated with reading in Model 1/2 and trended negative in Model 3. Weekend electronic gaming: Positive association with reading for >2 h/day. In Model 3, >2 h/day vs none: reading OR 1.160 (1.002–1.343, p=0.047). Writing, numeracy, and national standard were not statistically significant (ORs >1 but p>0.05). Overall: Timing and intensity matter—weekday heavy internet use is detrimental for reading/numeracy, while weekend moderate internet use and gaming show beneficial associations, particularly for reading. Addiction tendency to internet/gaming is consistently associated with poorer academic performance.

The findings clarify mixed prior evidence by distinguishing weekday versus weekend use and separating internet from gaming. Heavy weekday non-academic internet use (>4 h/day) likely displaces study time and sleep, contributing to lower reading and numeracy performance, whereas moderate weekend internet use (2–4 h/day) may support literacy and writing through text-based online activities without interfering with school-day responsibilities. Electronic gaming shows small positive associations with reading, possibly reflecting text-heavy instructions, problem-solving, and cognitive skill development inherent to many games. Addiction tendencies to internet/gaming correlate with worse reading and numeracy, aligning with concerns that problematic use undermines attendance, homework, and overall effort. These results underscore the importance of timing and moderation, suggesting that managing weekday screen time while allowing moderate weekend use may optimize academic outcomes, and highlight the need for parental monitoring and self-regulation strategies.

Moderate weekend internet use and electronic gaming (on both weekdays and weekends) are positively associated with academic performance—particularly reading and writing—among Australian adolescents, whereas heavy weekday non-academic internet use is negatively associated with reading and numeracy. Addiction tendencies to internet/gaming are associated with poorer academic outcomes. The study contributes population-based evidence using standardized NAPLAN scores and emphasizes that timing and intensity of use are key. Future research should develop and evaluate interventions to enhance parental monitoring and adolescents’ self-regulation to limit excessive weekday screen time, and should employ richer longitudinal data and validated measures of problematic use to assess causality and mechanisms.

Key limitations include: (1) self-reported measures of internet and gaming time without external validation, which may introduce over- or underestimation; (2) limited scope of behavioral questions in YMM, preventing detailed characterization and medical diagnosis of internet/gaming addiction; (3) cross-sectional design precluding causal inference and temporality assessment. Additionally, the survey collected only time-based measures of use (non-academic internet and gaming) as distinct behaviors, limiting content-specific analyses.